A Snack Cake Kind of Love
by Honeymoon Edward
Summary: Edward Cullen and Bella Swan shared everything. It began years ago in the cafeteria of Forks Junior High.


_This is my entry for the TFN Song Prompts Contest. It won 1st Place Public and Judge's Vote. It was also the pick for judges LizzieLee and Monica03 and secret keeper, OnlyInValhalla's choice._

 _Thank you to everyone who read and voted._

 **DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.**

It was a typical, rainy Thursday afternoon when Esme Cullen first noticed something was off with her son, Edward. Sitting criss-cross applesauce on the outdated carpet of the Forks Public Library, her older son, Emmett, listened with rapt attention as the librarian read aloud from a book. Edward, however, paid little consideration to the story and instead fiddled with the frayed hem of his corduroy pants.

Concerned with his lack of interest, Esme quietly kneeled next to him and whispered, "Edward, why aren't you listening to the story?" When he didn't answer and continued with the silent perusal of the thread that dangled along his left ankle, she frowned before grasping his wrist. "Edward?"

Startled by the feel of his mother's grip, he released a loud yelp. Oblivious to the hush that fell over the room at his outburst, he met his mother's bewildered gaze and asked, "When's the story going to start?"

Numerous medical tests later, Esme and Carlisle Cullen received the news no parent ever wanted to hear; their five-year-old son had a brain tumor.

"Bilateral hearing loss due to a meningioma located in the left posterior fossa," the doctor stated. "The good news is these types of tumors are generally encapsulated and benign."

"What's the treatment plan?" Carlisle asked as his wife dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief.

"Surgery. If we are unable to get it all, we'll need to do a round of radiation."

Three weeks later, Edward endured the eleven hour procedure while his parents waited anxiously to learn the outcome.

When the surgeon finally appeared, he said the words they had all hoped to hear, "We were able to remove the entire meningioma, and it appears to be non-cancerous."

Tears of joy flowed down the faces of both Carlisle and Esme, but their celebration was short-lived. The surgeon proceeded to inform them that Edward had suffered a mild seizure during the procedure. They wouldn't know if it caused any permanent damage to his brain until he awoke.

 **Eight Years Later**

"Do you have your list, sweetheart?" Esme asked as she pulled a woolen beanie down over Edward's head.

"I better recheck." He grabbed his backpack and examined the inside pocket. Once he confirmed that his daily list was securely in place, he nodded.

"Come on, Nutty Buddy," Emmett yelled from the foyer. "We're going to miss the bus."

Edward groaned. "I wish he would stop calling me that stupid name. Some kids heard him, and now they use it at school, too."

"I'll talk to him. He doesn't mean any harm."

After giving his mom a quick peck on the cheek, he mumbled 'thanks' before heading out the door.

 **-HB-**

After four grueling hours of introducing herself in front of each of her classes, sitting through a lecture on a book she had read the previous year, and discovering her period came a week early, Bella found herself in the cafeteria without her packed lunch or lunch money.

Yes, it was safe to say that Bella's first day at Forks Junior High officially sucked.

"Hey, Anabelle!" a shrill voice called out to her as she stood awkwardly, cursing herself for forgetting her lunch bag on the kitchen counter. "Come sit with us."

Bella recognized the frizzy-haired girl who shouted at her; it was Jessica. They had been in language arts together.

After approaching the table, she gave its occupants a shy wave.

"Have a seat," Jessica gestured to an empty chair that sat across from her. "Everyone, this is Anabelle; she's new. Anabelle, this is Mike, Tyler, Angela, and Lauren."

"It's actually Isabella," Bella corrected before adding, "but I prefer Bella."

"Huh, I could have sworn it was Anabelle."

"Nope." Bella gave her head a small shake.

"Oh." She shrugged her shoulders. "Well, Anabelle's a much prettier name. Don't you think?" Jessica asked the group before giving Bella a smirk. "And not as _common_ as Isabella."

"It's definitely not as common as Jessica," Bella mumbled a bit louder than she had intended.

The blond headed boy sitting next to her released a loud chuckle. "Whoa! Did you catch the shade Bella just threw at Jess?"

"Shut up, Mike!" Jessica threw a French fry at him before flipping him off.

"I ... I didn't mean …" Bella apologized. The last thing she needed was to get on anyone's bad side her first day of school, but before she could finish, the table's attention turned to Mike who was now walking across the room toward another boy.

"Oh my God, what's he doing?" Jessica snorted as they watched Mike reach inside the boy's lunchbox and remove something.

Seconds later, Mike appeared back at the table. In his hand, he held a peanut butter snack cake.

"Classic." Tyler gave Mike a high-five.

"The best part is, he won't even remember I was over there," Mike unwrapped the treat and began eating as the table erupted into laughter.

Confusion crossed Bella's features. "What are you talking about?"

"Nutty Buddy," Mike sputtered between guffaws, "has brain damage. He can't remember shit."

 **-HB-**

Structure was the cornerstone of Edward Cullen's life. Having lived with short-term memory loss since the age of five, Edward had adjusted well, for the most part. From the moment he awoke to the moment he went to sleep, he completed his daily routine in the same order. His mother provided him with an outlined list that he referred to throughout the day. He called it his lifeline; it detailed the date, any deviations to his schedule, such as doctors' appointments or the occasional pep rally, and provided him with a set of boxes to mark off, so he would know when he had completed simple tasks such as eating lunch and brushing his teeth.

As soon as he entered the cafeteria that day at school, he sat at his usual table, in his usual seat. He unzipped his backpack and pulled out his lunchbox. Next, he removed his daily list and a pencil.

Lunch was always eaten in the same order, sandwich first and chips second. Two sips of water were taken between each bite to ensure he drank his entire bottle.

The end of his meal, however, was the highlight of his school day. Dessert. Not just any dessert... a _Little Debbie Nutty Buddy_. They had been his favorite since childhood; so much so that his brother had begun calling him by the same name when he was only six years old. And even though his soft spot for the sugary treat had earned him an annoying moniker, in his mind, nothing could compare with the perfection of the crunchy, peanut butter wafer bars covered in creamy fudge.

Edward had taken the last bite of his ham and Swiss sandwich when the bane of his existence, Mike Newton, sat next to him.

"What's up, Nutty?"

"What do you want, Mike?" Edward huffed as he checked the word, _sandwich,_ off his list.

"Geez, what's with the attitude?" Mike asked as he pulled Edward's lunchbox toward him. "I just came over to see if you wanted to trade food. My mom packed me a cotton candy _Go-_ _GURT_. I hate that shit."

"No, I'm fine with what I have." Edward yanked his lunchbox away from Mike.

"Whatever. Your loss, dude."

Once Mike left, Edward resumed eating. After finishing his chips, he reached inside his lunchbox to get his dessert.

His dessert, however, was missing.

Edward frowned as he searched once again, and then for a third time for his vanished treat, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find his Nutty Buddy.

There was only one plausible excuse; he picked up his daily list. He must have already eaten it.

He reviewed his check boxes.

Sandwich … check.

Chips … check.

Dessert …

There wasn't a check mark next to dessert. Edward scratched his head, more confused than before. And that's when he heard the loud, boisterous laughter float from across the room. Turning, he saw the occupants of Mike Newton's table gawking at him, laughing.

Even though he couldn't remember, somehow he knew Mike Newton had something to do with his missing snack.

 **-HB-**

The following day, Bella sat by herself during her lunch period. After witnessing the cruel behavior of Jessica and her friends toward the boy in the cafeteria, she had decided to steer clear of them. If popularity at Forks Junior High meant being unkind toward others, she didn't want any part of it.

As she ate her packed lunch, she watched the boy eat. She wasn't sure why, but she felt protective of him. When she spotted Mike once again take the boy's snack, Bella's fists clenched. Just as she began to go over to give Mike a piece of her mind, she noticed the distressed look on the boy's face.

Her heart broke as she watched him desperately search through his lunchbox. The entire time, Mike and Jessica's gang howled with laughter. As tears welled up in Bella's eyes, she noticed something sticking out of her lunch bag.

An idea crossed her mind. Grabbing her stuff, she made her way to the boy's table.

Once she reached him, he looked at her in surprise.

"Hey, do you mind if I sit here?" She jutted her chin to the chair across from him.

"S-sure." His lips pursed in concentration. "D-do I know you?"

After placing her bag on the table, she offered him her hand. She knew it wasn't something kids their age normally did, but her mother had always taught her it was the polite way to introduce yourself.

"I'm Bella."

He stared at the girl before him in wonder. "Bella," he repeated, as his heartbeat accelerated.

Her eyes gleamed. "Yes … and you are?"

"Oh," he accepted her hand and shook it. "I'm Edward Anthony Masen Cullen."

She giggled at his formality. "It's nice to meet you, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen."

He gave her a crooked grin, his hand still grasping hers.

After pulling her hand free, she sat. She gestured to his lunch. "Are you finished?"

He surveyed his meal then picked up a card and read it.

"No, it's time for dessert," he answered.

"Do you keep track of what you eat on that?" she asked out of curiosity.

He frowned, unsure whether to trust her.

She noticed his hesitation. "It's okay; it's none of my business."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "No, I don't mind showing you." He told her about his schedule and explained his disability.

"So if you don't keep track of when you eat, you might forget?"

"Yeah, or I could even eat twice." He laughed at her surprised expression. "Believe me, it's happened more than once."

"Well, I hope you've never eaten something gross like Brussel sprouts twice in a row." She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"No, I wouldn't eat those the first time around," He cringed. Picking up his list, he pointed. "As you can see, I've eaten my sandwich and chips. Now, it's time for dessert."

Bella frowned as he searched for his Nutty Buddy. Knowing Mike had taken it, she said, "Edward?"

"Hmm?"

"Your snack cake is gone."

He tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

She gave a quick nod in Mike's direction. The entire table was staring at them. "Mike Newton took it right before I joined you."

Edward turned away, his cheeks flooded red.

"Are you okay?"

He rubbed his temples. "You must think I'm pathetic. I can't even remember something that happened ten minutes ago!"

"Not at all, Edward! If you ask me, Mike's the one who's pathetic. I mean who steals someone's _Little Debbie!_ That's just wrong!" She huffed as her fists tightened.

He cracked a smile at her indignation. "Yeah, that is pretty sad."

"Very sad," Bella agreed as she pulled something out of her lunch sack. "Anyhow, I know it's not a Nutty Buddy, but I have this if you want to split it with me?"

Edward looked at the wrapped snack cake that lay between them on the table.

A Honey Bun.

"I've never had one of those before."

"You haven't? Well, you don't know what you've been missing. They're amazing! It's a cinnamon roll with just the perfect amount of honey added for sweetness."

She ripped open the package and offered him half. After he took a bite, he agreed. The cake was sweet, just like the girl who sat across from him.

 **-HB-**

Bella walked into her next class with a feeling of lightness; she had enjoyed meeting and having lunch with Edward Cullen. After learning about his disability, she was in awe of his strength and perseverance. She also found him to be one of the nicest guys she had ever met, and if she was completely honest with herself, one of the cutest. She loved how his shaggy, bronze hair swooped into his bright green eyes. Their color had reminded her of fresh cut grass in Arizona.

Her thoughts about Edward were disrupted when Mike Newton suddenly appeared in the empty seat next to her.

"So, you and Cullen? Are you his girlfriend now?" he snorted, wiggling his eyebrows.

Even though Bella knew he was joking, she replied, "What if I am? It's none of your concern."

His eyes bulged at her response. "You can't be serious, Bella! He's nothing but a … a … a retard!"

Bella's right hand automatically flew from her desk and slapped Mike across the face. "You asshole! What a horrible thing to say!

"What's going on in here?" a stern voice called from the front of the room. Mr. Banner, their pre-algebra teacher, had just entered the class and witnessed their confrontation. "Swan! Newton! Office, now!"

After an hour-long discussion between Principal Greene, Charlie Swan, and Karen Newton, Bella and Mike were both assigned two days of in-school suspension.

"But I don't understand why Mikey's being punished," Mrs. Newton argued, "the Swan girl is the one who was physically violent; my son is just a victim."

"Mike is being suspended under the school's zero-tolerance bullying policy for his treatment of Edward Cullen. According to Miss Swan, and several other witnesses, your son has been stealing the Cullen boy's food."

"Well …" Mrs. Newton sputtered, "I'm sure Mikey meant no harm, he was more than likely just teasing." She looked at her son. "Right, dear?"

Mike rubbed his face. "Yeah, Ma. Nutty, I mean, Cullen and I were just messing around."

"The suspension stands," Principal Greene stated before adding, "Bella and Mike, report to Mrs. Cope first thing in the morning."

 **-HB-**

After two tedious days of being cooped up in a room no bigger than the size of her closet with Mike Newton, Bella was ecstatic to return to her typical schedule of classes.

Her joy was short-lived, however, when she quickly discovered, that the majority of the seventh grade class blamed her for Mike's punishment.

Her first clue was in Spanish class. When she placed her books on an empty desk, a boy sitting next to it quickly put his backpack on the chair and said, "Sorry, I'm saving this." It was when this happened four times in a row that she realized she was being sent a message. Once she found a place to sit, she glanced around the room and found most of the students staring at her. Lauren Mallory gave her a smug look, and mouthed, "Bitch."

The rest of her morning went the same; she received the cold shoulder from most of her classmates. At the end of language arts, Jessica approached her. "You made a huge mistake, Anabelle. It's time for you to learn that when you mess with one of us, you mess with us all."

Bella gave an exasperated sigh as she picked up her books. Fed up with all of her classmates' childish behavior, she rolled her eyes. "Jessica, I really don't know what your problem is, but I'm guessing it's difficult to pronounce."

After walking away from a bewildered Jessica, Bella entered the lunchroom. Once she spotted Edward, a sense of calm washed over her. Even though they had only spent a brief amount of time together, she already felt a connection with him. It was as if she already knew they were going to be great friends.

Just as she made it to him, however, Jessica, Lauren, and Angela approached and sat at the opposite end of his table.

Determined not to be deterred by their appearance, she said, "Hi, Edward. Can I join you for lunch today?"

Surprised by her request, Edward gawked at her. She seemed familiar, but he couldn't remember her name. "I'm sorry. Do we know each other?"

Jessica, who was listening intently to the conversation, released a snort.

Bella understood how he might have forgotten her; they had only met once, so instead of getting hurt, she attempted to jog his memory. "We had lunch together on Monday?"

Edward stroked his jaw. Flashes of brown doe eyes, soft pink lips, and the word _sweet_ flitted through his mind.

After a moment, his face lit up in recognition. "I know you. You're Honey Bun!"

"Honey Bun! Oh, my God, that's hilarious!" Jessica screeched with laughter. "Nutty Buddy and Honey Bun! Should we be expecting your friends, Zebra Cake, and Star Crunch, anytime soon?" Angela and Lauren giggled at their friend's joke.

Bella glared at Jessica. "Excuse me, were we talking to you? Why are you sitting over here anyhow?"

Jessica stood. "For this exact reason. _Dirt_." She looked at Lauren and Angela. "Come on, girls. Let's go tell everyone about Honey Bun and Nutty Buddy. I can't wait to see Mike's face when he hears this."

After watching the three girls traipse across the room back to their normal table, Bella sat. Edward stared at her with his mouth agape.

He ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry; I messed up. I know your name isn't Honey Bun. It's just the first thing I remembered, and it sort of popped out of my mouth."

She reached over and gave his fingers a gentle squeeze. "It's okay. I don't care what those three mean girls think or say."

He blushed. "I do need to make a confession. I apologize, but I can't remember your name. I didn't get a chance to write it down the other day."

"That's okay. It's Bella Swan, but you can call me Honey Bun." She gave him a playful wink before giggling.

He released a small chuckle before digging into his backpack and pulling out a small leather journal. He opened it carefully and wrote down the name _Bella Swan_ at the top of a blank page. After adding a few more lines of writing, he closed the cover.

"What's that?" She gestured to the notebook.

"It's a place where I take notes on the things I never want to forget."

"Like a diary?"

"Sort of, I suppose." He shrugged his shoulders.

"So did you just write something about me?"

"Umm." He squirmed in his seat. "Well, I didn't have my journal with me the other day, and I wanted to make sure I didn't forget your name this time…"

"What else did you write? Can I see?"

His face burned scarlet. "Oh … well, I don't know…"

Sensing his discomfort, she said, "That's okay, maybe another time."

"Sure. Another time," he replied before exhaling. He didn't want her to see that he had written that she was beautiful.

Once they began eating, he looked at his daily list and noticed the date. "Bella, when did you say we last ate lunch together?

After finishing her sip of juice, she set the bottle down and answered, "It was on Monday. Why?"

"Well, today's Thursday." He pointed to his card. "Where have you been the past two days?"

Her face paled at his question. Bella didn't want to tell Edward about her encounter with Mike Newton. Not because she was ashamed of her actions, but because she didn't want Edward to find out what had been said about him. In her eyes, the word Mike had called Edward was one of the most derogatory terms a person could call another, and if it were up to her, Edward would never learn about it. However, she also didn't want to lie to him. So she decided to tell him as much of the truth as she could while leaving out that part.

"I had an in-school suspension."

His eyes widened at her declaration. "You did? What for?"

"I slapped Mike Newton."

"Really? Why?"

"He said something inappropriate. I'd rather not hash out all the gory details, but both of us received two days over the incident."

"Wow. Are you okay?"

"Well, my dad's pissed at me, and I got grounded for the month. But other than that ..." She shrugged. "But between you and me, it was worth it. Newton's a douche pickle."

They both laughed.

As they ate, Bella asked Edward about his schedule since they didn't share any classes. She learned he was enrolled in courses with a smaller class size due to his special needs. He explained how it took him a longer period of time to process new information, so it had to be broken down into smaller chunks and presented to him at a different pace.

Unlike the other kids who judged him because of his disability, Bella didn't. She didn't assume he wasn't intelligent just because he had memory issues. For the first time in his life, Edward felt normal.

When it was time for them to have their dessert, Edward suggested that they split their snack cakes. He offered Bella half of his Nutty Buddy, and she gave him half of her Honey Bun. As they happily ate their sweets, Edward reopened his journal and scribbled a few more lines.

 _I can't imagine_ _anything more_ _perfect than sitting across a lunch table from Bella Swan._

 _Please, brain. Don't forget._

From that day forward, thanks to the incredibly loud mouth of Jessica Stanley, Bella and Edward became exclusively known as Honey Bun and Nutty Buddy. Instead of becoming angry, Bella suggested that they embrace their aliases. "If we use them ourselves, then they won't win," she explained. "Besides, I sort of like them. They make us sound like a couple of badass superheroes or something."

"You mean like snack cake crime fighters who save the world from the injustices of inferior frosting?" Edward teased.

She chuckled. "You know what I mean. It makes us special. Unique."

"But you don't need a silly name to make you special, Bella. You're the most extraordinary person I know."

His words sent the pit of her stomach into a wild swirl. "I think the same about you as well, Edward. You're pretty remarkable yourself."

Even though they didn't end up solving any mysteries involving missing Ho Hos or Ding Dongs, Nutty Buddy and Honey Bun became inseparable, the best of friends.

 **-HB-**

 **4 Years Later**

"Edward!" Esme called from the bottom of the staircase. "Bella's here."

After bounding down the steps two at a time, Edward discovered Bella waiting in the foyer. The corners of his mouth turned upwards at the sight of his best friend.

"Mom didn't need to yell, I already knew you had arrived. Anyone with two ears can hear that old truck of yours coming from at least a mile away," he joked.

"Hey!" Bella swatted at his chest. "Quit hating on Jake! You'd be a bit loud and cranky too if you were as old as him."

Edward snickered before lightly ruffling her hair. "We've had this discussion before - Jake's a motor vehicle. He's not a person."

"Humph!" A fake pout formed on her lips. "Maybe you'd rather ride the bus to school instead?"

Pulling her into his arms, he gave her a gentle hug. "I'm sorry, Honey Bun. You know I was only teasing." He savored the feel of her body against his as he rubbed soothing circles along her back. After a moment, he lifted a hand and placed it beneath her chin. After softly lifting it, his amused gaze met hers. "Please say you'll forgive me."

Bella's lip quivered as a laugh bubbled in her throat. She was a horrible actress, and Edward knew it. She could never be upset with him, but she did like to pretend. Especially, when the outcome landed her in his arms.

"I suppose I'll forgive you this time, Nutty," she said with a dramatic sigh. "Just promise, it will never happen again."

"I promise." He placed a light kiss on her cheek. After giving her one more tender squeeze, he released his hold.

Walking to the closet to retrieve his backpack, he turned his head and added, "But you know, I'll more than likely forget this conversation ever occurred. So, if I happen to say something against Jake tomorrow, you'll have to forgive me … again." His familiar crooked grin appeared at the thought of finding a loophole.

"Oh, I don't think so," she laughed. "I plan on writing it down for you as soon as we get to school. I will also remind you repeatedly, _no hating on Jake._ "

When they arrived at Forks High, they walked to their first class together. Once he had begun the ninth grade, Edward's courses were changed to an inclusive setting. Other than the one period he spent with his tutor, the remainder of his schedule was the same as Bella's.

While they waited for their physics class to begin, Edward noticed Jasper Hale eyeing Bella from across the room. He had a goofy look on his face, the same kind his brother had whenever he mentioned his girlfriend, Rose.

Edward's hands gripped the edge of his desk as a wave of panic shot through him.

Jasper was interested in Bella.

 _What if she was interested in him, too?_

His entire body revolted at the thought. His stomach became queasy, his palms sweaty, and his heart felt as if it was going to explode.

His fists clenched as he shot Jasper a scowl.

Noting the look of distress on Edward's face, Bella placed her hand on his forearm. "Nutty, are you okay?"

He exhaled and nodded his head. "Yeah, I was just thinking about the calculus quiz."

"Hey, you'll do fine," she soothed. "We studied all weekend. You know the stuff better than I do."

He smiled at her. "Thanks, Honey. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Well, that's one thing you'll never need to worry about," she replied.

Later at lunch, Edward's fear became a reality. Jasper approached their table and asked Bella out on a date. She quickly turned him down. However, Edward knew one day she might say yes to someone else. Overcome with jealousy, his mouth formed a grimace.

"What?" she asked, puzzled by his expression.

"Why did you turn him down? Jasper's a nice guy."

"Yeah, so?" She shrugged her shoulders.

He pinched his nose with his fingers. "I don't get you. We're juniors in high school, and you haven't even gone on one single date."

"You haven't either. What's the difference?"

"The difference is … you're you." He gestured at her with his hand. "And, I'm me."

"You are making absolutely no sense."

"That's just it. Don't you see?" His voice thick with emotion. "You're … you're …" He couldn't muster the words he wanted to say. The words he had wanted to tell her for the past four years.

 _Beautiful._

 _Perfect._

 _Everything._

"I'm what?"

"Just … never mind." He grabbed his backpack and stormed out of the cafeteria, leaving a wide-eyed Bella wondering what in the hell had just happened.

That evening, a knock sounded on Edward's bedroom door.

"Yeah?"

"Sweetheart?" His mom peeked her head inside his room. "Can I come in for a second?"

At the sight of his mom, he turned off the music he had been listening to and replied, "Sure."

"Bella phoned earlier this evening; she said you two had an argument?"

Edward grabbed his pillow and groaned into it. After placing it back down, he replied, "No, I overreacted about something."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He grabbed his journal and proceeded to tell his mother about Jasper's interest in Bella.

"But I don't understand? I thought you said she turned him down?"

"She did!" He yanked his hair. "But one of these days, someone is going to ask her out, and she's going to agree."

Esme sat on the corner of his bed. "Yes, that's more than likely going to happen."

"I feel so selfish, Mom. She's so wonderful … so perfect. She should be going out on dates; having fun. But it's just the thought … the thought …"

"The thought of what, Edward?"

"The thought of her with anyone but me, it makes me feel like my heart's going to shatter."

A tender smile crossed her face. "Oh sweetheart, have you ever considered that she feels the same way about you?"

"How could she? I'm damaged goods - I can't even get through a single day without a note reminding me not to eat breakfast twice!"

"Edward, you are far from damaged, and I think you're being unfair toward Bella. You know she doesn't even see your disability. In my opinion, I think you should tell her how you feel. Because if you don't, one day, it might be too late."

Once his mother left his room, Edward pulled out the old Nike shoebox that he kept beneath his bed. Inside were photos and mementos of times spent with Bella. He chuckled at a picture taken at a small horse farm the summer between their seventh and eighth grade school years. After watching the movie, _Secretariat_ , Bella had been determined to become a jockey. She had one small problem though; she had never seen or ridden a horse. After weeks of begging, she had finally convinced her dad to take them horseback riding. Once they had arrived at the farm, the owner had introduced them to their mounts. As Bella had cooed lovingly at her horse, the mare had suddenly licked the entire left side of Bella's head. Covered in sticky, smelly horse drool, Bella's fascination with all things equine had come to an abrupt ending. From then on, as a joke, Edward had purchased her horse related gifts on all special occasions. His first gift being a horseshoe that still hung over the door in her bedroom.

The next item he discovered in the box was a medal from the ninth grade. When Edward had decided to do a 5K, Bella had readily agreed to run it with him. Once they had begun training, however, he had quickly realized he hated running. In fact, the entire time they ran, he had whined and complained. Sick of his bellyaching, Bella had come up with a plan.

" _Let me keep track of the time and distance."_

" _Why?"_

" _Maybe it won't seem so bad if you're not_ _constantly_ _checking it the entire run."_

" _I guess that makes sense," he said, handing her his_ _sports watch."_

The first time Edward had asked Bella how much longer they had to go, she had answered with "a little less than a mile." By the next time he had asked, he had already forgotten her earlier response, so she had given the same answer. The strategy had worked; Edward's complaints had stopped, and he had begun enjoying his runs.

Bella had confessed to what she had done on the day of the actual race. Instead of getting angry, he had just laughed, finding the idea amusing.

He continued looking through the pictures for most of the night. By the time he got to the last photo, he realized that a single Nike box of memories with Bella would never be enough. He wanted enough to hold a lifetime of experiences.

His mom was right, he needed to be brave and tell Bella how he felt.

Now, he just needed to figure out how.

The following day, Edward apologized to Bella for his behavior. Not wanting to declare himself just yet, he made up an excuse about being stressed about his classes and college.

Even though she didn't buy his story, Bella knew her best friend well enough not to push. She also knew he would open up to her when he was ready.

During the next week, Edward agonized over how to tell her about his feelings. He thought about writing her a letter or sending her flowers. But both of those seemed so run-of-the-mill, and Bella deserved something extraordinary.

The answer came two days later. A poster hanging outside the music room read _Talent Show Sign-Ups._

Edward wrote his name on the sheet, and that evening, he composed a song to express in words the intensity of what he felt for his best friend.

Over the next three weeks, he worked on his music. Even though he couldn't play the guitar well, he knew enough basic chords to accompany his lyrics.

When the day of the talent show finally arrived, Edward felt confident; he had practiced and even accommodated for his memory issues. Worried that he would forget the words to his song, he had mounted a small music holder to his guitar's headstock. He had then carefully printed the lyrics on an index card that would rest in the holder as he played.

As Bella and Edward sat in the auditorium waiting for the show to begin, she noticed his knee bouncing. He seemed nervous or excited. Ever since their argument over Jasper Hale, he had been acting differently. Leaning over in her seat, she said, "Nutty, I know something is up with you. I've tried to be patient and give you space, but I can't take it any longer."

He turned toward her. "I'm sorry, Honey Bun. I never meant to shut you out. I've just had a lot on my mind." He grasped her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Can we talk later?"

He gulped and nodded. "Of course." He just hoped she still wanted to talk to him after his performance.

After the first three acts, Edward knew it was time for him to head backstage. "I'll be back in a few," he whispered before jotting out of his seat.

Bella's breath caught in her throat when the next performer's name was announced. She watched as her best friend walked to a lone stool that sat in the middle of the stage.

Once seated, Edward adjusted his microphone and reached into his pocket to get his lyrics.

Instead of finding them, however, he discovered only empty space. Panic filled him as he stood and began rooting through his other pockets. His search proved futile; his lyrics were missing.

He sat back down on the stool, chuckles from the audience floated in the air. As he raked his fingers through his hair, he looked out into the auditorium.

His gaze met hers.

His Honey Bun.

She gave him an encouraging smile, the kind that soothed his soul and lit up his heart. And at that moment, the rest of the crowd disappeared. Picking up his guitar, he said, "This is for you."

As his fingers strummed across the strings, his low, velvety voice sang...

 _ **The pit-a-pat of your beating heart**_

 _ **In sync with mine when we're apart**_

 _ **My Honey Bun…**_

He paused to play a few more chords as he attempted to recall the words. Unable to do so, he looked at Bella and spoke from the heart.

 _ **My**_ _**Honey Bun**_

 _ **My**_ _**Honey Bun**_

 _ **My**_ _**Honey Bun**_

 _ **I love you, can't you see?**_

He continued to strum the guitar and sing. Tears flowed down Bella's cheeks as she watched the boy she loved pour his heart out to her in song.

 _ **My Honey Bun, you're my Honey Bun**_

 _ **My Honey Bun, I want you**_ _ **just**_ _ **for me**_

As soon as he finished, Bella leaped from her chair and ran backstage.

When Edward saw her approach, he placed his guitar down.

"Do you really mean it?" she asked, looking at him through tear-tipped lashes.

"Of course, I do, sweet girl." He wiped away the wetness from under her eyes. "I know my brain forgets things, but Bella, my heart never does. And it's always been yours. It'll never beat for another."

"You don't know how I've longed to hear you say those words. I love you, too. So, so much. You're the only one for me. The only one I've ever wanted."

He tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry I forgot the words to your song. I must have left the lyrics at home."

Her pulse quickened at his touch. "The song was perfect just the way you sang it."

"But the original had a part about a horse."

"Ugh! You won't ever let me live that down, will you?" She giggled as she playfully shoved at his chest.

"Probably not." He grinned.

"You really do love me?"

"I really do love you, Honey Bun." He gathered her into his arms and brushed his lips to hers. His touch was soft, gentle, and tender because she was his entire world.

When they broke apart, she looked at him with a glazed expression. "Wow! That was our first kiss."

"I know, but the sad thing is, I'll probably forget how it felt in about five or ten minutes." He gave her a teasing smirk.

She tapped her finger against her chin. "Hmm, that is sad. I guess I'll just have to give you frequent reminders."

"Yes, I think frequent reminders are definitely a must. In fact, how about reminding me now ..."

 _ **The End**_

 **AN:**

Thanks to Fran, K, Gail, Cheryl, and Diane for their feedback and help.

I saw the movie _Damsel_ while I was in Atlanta for the TFMU. As soon as I heard Rob sing _Honey Bun_ , I knew I wanted to write a story based on it, and this contest provided me with the perfect opportunity.


End file.
